Valentine's Day

I think I mentioned a few weeks back that due to my being an accountant and all, when busy season arrives, I have precious little time for extracurricular activities like blogging. I predicted fewer pictures and less frequent posts for a few months, just because I know what kind of schedule my colleagues and I maintain. In what seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, I am probably over three weeks behind in my timely posting, and I have a list of about nine topics that should have already been covered. However, in an effort to be even a little bit seasonally relevant, I am choosing to (temporarily) skip over several blog post titles (like "kitesurfing lessons", "suicide wings at Doghouse", and "house guests.6") to bring you 2011's version of Valentine's Day.

As Valentine's Day is not one of those floating holidays (like Easter) which may or may not fall during busy season each year, it's one of those days that NS and I casually observe. Frankly, the more pressure we put on ourselves during this hectic time of year, the unhappier we feel. So it usually doesn't make sense to force ourselves to make specific plans on February 14th each year. We usually write cards, occasionally exchange gifts, and sometimes go out for dinner on the weekend preceding the day. I do believe in Valentine's Day; I just don't make it a day full of expectations.

This year, V-Day was on a Monday, so of course we worked. I told NS that I'd be fine with cooking together at home - keeping it low key and quiet. I don't know if he didn't like the thought of cooking or what, but he simply told me, "I'll take care of it." Good. No planning required.

The next thing I knew, he told me I needed to get off work by 5:45 (!!!) so as to make time for his plans. At first I had mixed feelings - we're required to work so many chargeable hours per week, so leaving at 5:45 p.m. rather than what usually is 8:00 p.m. sounded a bit aggressive. But leaving work while the sun was still shining appealed to me, so I just made an early morning of it and left work promptly. Oh, and the attire, I was told, was swim wear, shorts, and a tank top. Okay, so dinner at the Ritz was out. No problem.

The big surprise was kind of a more picturesque version of what I had in mind originally - a sunset picnic on the beach! As you can see from the photos above, the sunset didn't actually cooperate, but the setting was gorgeous, nonetheless.

NS had picked up fresh salads at Black Trumpet, a gourmet deli in Camana Bay. Mine had ahi tuna in it - oh I love seafood!

Instead of traditional cut flowers, he purchased a pot of impatiens to add to my small but budding garden (which now includes a palm tree, cherry tomatoes, and purple basil.)

I was in heaven! Out of work early, wearing comfy clothes, no cooking required, on a quiet section of Seven Mile Beach... brilliant.

Hey DJP: That's your Christmas gift I'm wearing!

 Dessert was tasty too - NS skipped his usual chocoholic choice and went for strawberry shortcake cake.

And then, because there was no sunset to take photos of, we just photographed the interesting mostly-cloudy sky. I love how in the two photos below - taken just minutes apart - the sky looks so completely different.

The evening was a great surprise and made me realize once again that I am surrounded by such natural beauty on this island. Thanks again to NS for being a great valentine every day!